NOTE: Christ in Our Neighborhood is a parish-based program consisting of small Christian communities that gather in the home weekly to prayerfully discuss the upcoming Sunday Mass readings. It’s easy to form a community and you can find out more by searching “Christ in Our Neighborhood at the Diocese of Phoenix website, dphx.org.
This coming Sunday, we celebrate the Second Sunday of Advent. The Christ in Our Neighborhood commentary asks us to consider this question: How will repentance affect my spiritual growth during Advent and lead me to Christmas?
The Gospel of Matthew this Sunday recounts the baptizing and preaching of John the Baptist, the one the prophet Isaiah foretold would clear a path for the Messiah.
John doesn’t mince words: He calls the Pharisees and Sadducees a “brood of vipers” and challenges them to sincerely repent of their sins. “Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance,” John warns them.
During Advent, we too are called to repent of our sins and prepare our hearts for the coming celebration of the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Many parishes hold Reconciliation services and increase times for confession. This sacrament of healing is a great way to make room for the Lord in our lives and conform ourselves more closely to His will. When we sit down and humbly examine the ways we have sinned and then confess those sins, we find healing. We’re given grace to strengthen us against temptation and are renewed in hope.
God’s mercy is never-ending and He waits for us in the confessional. If you’ve been away from the sacrament of Reconciliation for a while, don’t be afraid! There are many resources online to help you examine your conscience and know what to do when you enter the confessional.
The Lord rejoices when we turn to Him in repentance and He is eager to forgive, heal and restore us.
If you haven’t joined a Christ in Our Neighborhood small group yet, perhaps you are being called to start one yourself. Check out our website today to find out more: dphx.org/Christ-in-our-neighborhood.
Watch the video of the weekly podcast segment featuring Christ in Our Neighborhood with Bishop Dolan by clicking HERE.
To sign up for our weekly Christ in Our Neighborhood newsletter that has everything you need for your next meeting, visit: https://phoenixdiocese.flocknote.com/CION
